Processing system, processing method, and non-transitory storage medium

This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-184937 filed on Nov. 12, 2021, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The present disclosure relates to processing systems, processing methods, and non-transitory storage media.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-95100 (JP 2000-95100 A) discloses a moving device using a pedaling exercise. The experimental results of pedaling using hamstrings are shown at https://pdtune.com/ride/pedalinghamstrings/(accessed Sep. 15, 2020). A change in myoelectric potential according to the rotation angle of a pedal is described for each muscle.

A user performs a pedaling exercise in order to maintain or increase muscular strength. Exercise equipment like pedal exercisers are desired to allow users to exercise more effectively. For example, by setting an appropriate load level according to the user, the user can do training suitable for him or her.

The present disclosure provides a processing system, processing method, and non-transitory storage media that allow a user to train effectively.

A processing system according to a first embodiment includes a processor. The processor is configured to: acquire user data including physical information of a user; acquire muscle site data on a muscle site desired to be built and an amount of load to be placed on the muscle site; calculate a recommended setting of training equipment that places the load to a muscle of the user, based on the user data and the muscle site data; and output the recommended setting.

In the processing system according to the first embodiment, a setting item of the training equipment may be linked to the muscle site.

In the processing system according to the first embodiment, the processor may be configured to calculate the recommended setting from a simulation result of simulating a load placed on each of muscle sites by changing a parameter of the setting item of the training equipment.

In the processing system according to the first embodiment, the muscle site desired to be built may include a deep muscle.

In the processing system according to the first embodiment, the processor may be configured to determine whether the training equipment is operating with the recommended setting.

A processing method according to a second embodiment includes: acquiring user data including physical information of a user; acquiring muscle site data on a muscle site desired to be built and an amount of load to be placed on the muscle site; calculating a recommended setting of training equipment that places the load on a muscle of the user, based on the user data and the muscle site data; and outputting the recommended setting.

In the processing method according to the second embodiment, a setting item of the training equipment may be linked to the muscle site.

In the processing method according to the second embodiment, the recommended setting may be calculated from a simulation result of simulating a load placed on each of muscle sites by changing a parameter of the setting item of the training equipment.

In the processing method according to the second embodiment, the muscle site desired to be built may include a deep muscle.

The processing method according to the second embodiment may further include determining whether the training equipment is operating with the recommended setting.

A non-transitory storage medium according to a third embodiment stores instructions that are executable by one or more processors and that cause the one or more processors to perform functions. The functions include: acquiring user data including physical information of a user; acquiring muscle site data on a muscle site desired to be built and an amount of load to be placed on the muscle site; calculating a recommended setting of training equipment that places the load on a muscle of the user, based on the user data and the muscle site data; and outputting the recommended setting.

In the non-transitory storage medium according to the third embodiment, a setting item of the training equipment may be linked to the muscle site.

In the non-transitory storage medium according to the third embodiment, the recommended setting may be calculated from a simulation result of simulating a load placed on each of muscle sites by changing a parameter of the setting item of the training equipment.

In the non-transitory storage medium according to the third embodiment, the muscle site desired to be built may include a deep muscle.

In the non-transitory storage medium according to the third embodiment, the functions may further include determining whether the training equipment is operating with the recommended setting.

The present disclosure provides a processing system, processing method, and non-transitory storage medium that allow a user to train effectively.

Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described through an embodiment. However, the present disclosure according to the claims is not limited to the following embodiment. Not all of the configurations described in the embodiment are essential as means for solving the problem. For the sake of clarity, the following description and drawings are omitted or simplified as appropriate. The same elements are denoted by the same reference signs throughout the drawings, and duplicate descriptions will be omitted as necessary.

In the present embodiment, a pedal exerciser will be described as an example of the training equipment. The training equipment is a pedal exerciser (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the “exerciser”) for a user to perform a pedaling exercise. A processing system and processing method according to the present embodiment perform a process of providing recommended settings for setting items of the pedal exerciser for training with the pedal exerciser. For example, the processing system outputs recommended settings to a person who performs a pedaling exercise and an assistant who assists in the training. The person who does a pedaling exercise can thus train under appropriate load.

An exerciserwill be described with reference to.show the exerciseras viewed from the side. For clarity of explanation, the following description will be given using a three-dimensional XYZ Cartesian coordinate system. Specifically, the +X direction is an anterior (forward) direction, the −X direction is a posterior (backward) direction, the +Y direction is a superior (upward) direction, the −Y direction is an inferior (downward) direction, the +Z direction is a left direction, and the −Z direction is a right direction. The anteroposterior (front-back) direction, the lateral (left-right) direction, and the vertical (up-down) direction are based on the directions with respect to a user U.

The exercisercan adjust the range of motion of the ankle joint. In the following description, the rotational direction of the ankle joint about the Z axis is referred to as the “plantar/dorsal flexion direction,” and the angle of this rotation is referred to as the “plantar/dorsal flexion angle.” More specifically, the direction in which the toes of a foot FT are moved downward is referred to as the “plantarflexion direction,” and the direction in which the toes of the foot FT are moved upward is defined as the “dorsiflexion direction.”

As shown in, the exerciserincludes a main body, a link, a crank, and a tilted base. A chairis provided behind the exerciser. The user U performs a pedaling exercise while sitting on the chair. The chairis a seating portion on which the user U sits. The chairmay be integral with the exerciser, or may be a separate member from the exerciser. For example, the chairmay be a chair in a facility or home where the user U is located. That is, the user U or the assistant may place the chairbehind the exerciser.

The chairincludes a seat portionthat serves as a seating portion and a backrest portion. The backrest portionsupports the back of the user U sitting on the seat portion. That is, the user U can perform a pedaling exercise while leaning against the backrest portion. The chaircan be replaced or adjusted according to the user U. For example, a user U who does heavier load training can use a chairwithout the backrest portion. Alternatively, the backrest portionmay have a reclining mechanism. The angle of the backrest portionmay be adjusted by the reclining mechanism.

In the exerciser, components attached to the main bodyare symmetrically. In, in order to distinguish between the right and left components, reference signs for the components on the right side of the main bodyhave the letter “R” at the end, and reference signs for the components on the left side of the main bodyhave the letter “L” at the end. For example, in, the left tilted baseis shown as a tilted baseL, and the right tilted baseis shown as a tilted baseR. Similarly, the left linkis shown as a linkL, the left pedalis shown as a pedalL, the right linkis shown as a linkR, and the right pedalis shown as a pedalR. Similarly, the left foot FT is shown as a left foot FTL, and the right foot FT is shown as a right foot FTR. In the following description, the letters “R” and “L” will be omitted when the right and left components are not distinguished from each other.

The main bodyrotatably holds the crank. For example, the main bodyis provided with a rotating shaft. The crankis connected to the rotating shaft. The crankrotates about the rotating shaft. The main bodymay have a load resistor that applies a load to the rotational motion of the crank. The main bodymay have a gear etc. that can change the load.

The main bodyis placed on an installation base. The installation baseis placed on the floor surface. For example, the front (anterior) part of the main bodyis located on the installation base, and the back (posterior) part of the main bodyis located on the floor surface. The installation angle of the main bodycan be changed by changing the height, position, etc. of the installation base. For example, the main bodyis placed horizontally by removing the installation base. The installation angle of the main bodyis made steep by raising the installation base. The posture of the user U during training is thus changed by changing the height of the installation baseor removing the installation base. The user U's joint range of motion by training can thus be adjusted.

The distance between the main bodyand the chairin the anteroposterior direction may be changed according to the user U. For example, the user U can place the chairnear the main body. In this case, the user U performs a pedaling exercise with his or her knee joints etc. relatively flexed. For example, the user U can place the chairfar from the main body. In this case, the user U trains with his or her knee joints etc. relatively extended. The posture of the user U during training is thus changed by changing the distance between the main bodyand the chairin the X direction. The user U's joint range of motion by training can thus be adjusted.

The linkincludes a pedaland a sliding wheel. The crankis connected to the front (anterior) end of the link, and the sliding wheelis connected to the back (posterior) end of the link. The crankand the linkare rotatably connected to each other. For example, the linkis attached to the crankvia a bearing etc. The pedalis attached to an intermediate position on the link. The pedalis a step (footrest) on which the user U places his or her foot FT. The seated user U places his or her foot FT on the pedal.

The sliding wheelis attached to the linkvia a rotating shaft (axle). That is, the linkrotatably holds the sliding wheel. The sliding wheelis a sliding member that slides on a tilted surface of the tilted base.

The user U performs a pedaling exercise with his or her foot FT on the pedal. That is, the user U moves his or her knee joint, hip joint, and ankle joint so as to step on the pedal. As a result, the crankrotates about the rotating shaft. The angle between the linkand the crankchanges according to the rotation of the crank. That is, the relative angle of the linkwith respect to the crankchanges according to the rotation angle of the crank(also referred to as the “crank angle”). The sliding wheelmoves in the anteroposterior direction in contact with the tilted surface. The crankand the linktherefore rotate according to the pedaling motion so that the pedalfollows an elliptical trajectory.

The pedal, the sliding wheel, the link, the crank, and the tilted baseare provided for each of the right and left feet FT of the user U. That is, the pedal, the sliding wheel, the link, the crank, and the tilted baseare provided on the right and left sides of the main body. The pedalR, the sliding wheelR, the linkR, the tilted baseR, etc. that are provided on the right side of the main bodyare for the right foot FTR of the user U. The pedalL, the linkL, the tilted baseL, etc. provided on the left side of the main bodyare for the left foot FTL of the user U.

The crankis attached to the rotating shaftof the main bodyso as to be in antiphase between the right and left feet FT. That is, the rotation angle of the crankfor the left foot and the rotation angle of the crankfor the right foot are shifted by 180°. The user U performs a pedaling exercise by alternately bending and extending his or her right and left legs.

The sliding wheelis attached to the lower end of the link. The sliding wheelhas a wheel that slides on the tilted surface of the tilted base. The tilted basehas a tilted surface that is tilted upward toward the back (posterior). The sliding wheelreciprocates in the X direction (anteroposterior direction) according to the rotational motion of the link. As shown in, when the user U is pedaling in such a direction that his or her right leg is extended and his or her left leg is bent, the right sliding wheelmoves forward (anteriorly) and the left sliding wheelmoves backward (posteriorly). As shown in, when the user U is pedaling in such a direction that his or her left leg is extended and his or her right leg is bent, the left sliding wheelmoves forward (anteriorly) and the right sliding wheelmoves backward (posteriorly).

The height of the sliding wheelchanges along the tilted surface of the tilted base. The tilted surface of the tilted basebecomes higher toward the back (posterior). That is, the tilted baseis an uphill for the sliding wheelmoving backward (posteriorly). Therefore, the height of the sliding wheelgradually increases as the sliding wheelmoves backward (posteriorly). The height of the sliding wheelgradually decreases as the sliding wheelmoves forward (anteriorly). The angle of the linkis determined according to the height of the sliding wheel.

The angle of the pedallocated on the linkis limited according to the height of the sliding wheel. That is, the pedalrotates in the plantarflexion direction as the height of the sliding wheelincreases. The pedalrotates in the dorsiflexion direction as the height of the sliding wheeldecreases. Therefore, the range of motion for plantarflexion and dorsiflexion of the ankle joint can be adjusted according to the tilt angle of the tilted base. The range of motion for plantarflexion and dorsiflexion of the ankle joint can be adjusted according to the rotation angle of the crank.

The user U performs a pedaling exercise with the exerciserfor training. That is, the pedaling exercise can place a load on the muscles of the lower limbs and trunk of the user U. The muscles that can be built with the exerciserinclude erector spinae (PS), rectus abdominis (RA), external abdominal oblique (OEA), hip flexor group (HF), gluteus maximus (GM), rectus femoris (RF), tibialis anterior (TA), soleus (SOL), gastrocnemius (MG), Vastus medialis (VM), and hamstring (MH). The user U or the assistant can specify one or more muscle sites the user U wants to build.

Setting Items

Parameters for various setting items can be set in the exerciser. The user U etc. changes the parameter of each setting item, so that the user U can train effectively. By changing the parameter of each setting item of the exerciser, the user U can adjust the muscle site that can be built by the pedaling exercise and the amount of load to be placed on the muscle site. This allows effective training. The parameter of each setting item need not necessarily be set by the user U who trains, but may be set by the assistant who assists the user U in the training. The assistant may be, for example, a physical therapist or an occupational therapist.

The setting items of the exerciserinclude, for example, the rotational speed of the crank, the amount of load of the crank, and the rotational direction of the crank. For example, a heavy load can be placed on muscles by increasing the rotational speed of the crankor increasing the amount of load of the crank. The muscle site to which a load is placed can be changed by changing the rotational direction of the crank.

Other setting items include settings for changing the geometrical arrangement of the exerciser. Such setting items include the distance between the chairand the main bodyin the anteroposterior direction, the installation angle (tilt angle) of the main body, the tilt angle of the pedal, the tilt angle of the tilted base, and the position of the tilted basein the anteroposterior direction. The range of motion angle of the ankle joint can be changed according to the position of the tilted basein the anteroposterior direction and the tilt angle of the tilted base. The ranges of motion angle of the knee joint and the hip joint are also changed by changing the distance between the main bodyand the chairin the anteroposterior direction, the tilt angle of the main body, etc. That is, the posture etc. during training can be changed by changing the parameters of the setting items. The muscle site the user U wants to build and the amount of load to be placed on the muscle site can be adjusted by changing the parameters of such setting items.

Other setting items include with or without the backrest portion. For example, a chairwith a detachable backrest portionis prepared, and the backrest portionmay be removed when the user U is going to do heavy load training. Alternatively, a chairwith a backrest portionand a chairwith no backrest portionmay be prepared, and the chairmay be replaced according to the training. As described above, a plurality of chairsmay be prepared, and the chairmay be replaced according to the training.

Other setting items include items that do not involve adjustment, change, or replacement in the exerciser. Such setting items may be, for example, the posture and motion of the user U. Specific examples of such setting items include with or without crossed arms, and with or without arm swinging motion. For example, the user U can change the setting item by selecting either with or without arm swinging motion during a pedaling exercise. Alternatively, the user U can change the parameter by selecting whether to cross arms. In this way, the muscle site to be build can be changed according to the posture or motion of the user U.

Various setting items can be set in the exerciser. In other words, an appropriate load can be placed on each muscle site by appropriately setting the parameters of the setting items. That is, a desired load can be placed on each muscle site. For example, a heavy load can be placed on the muscle site the user U etc. wants to mainly build. Alternatively, the load can be reduced or the range of motion angle can be limited for the injured part.

As described above, the setting items include items that can be set as numerical parameters such as speed, angle, and relative position. Alternatively, the setting items include items that can be set in levels such as high, medium, and low levels. The setting items further include items that can be set by with or without equipment and with or without operation. The setting items further include items whose settings can be changed by arrangement of the equipment and replacement of the equipment. The setting items further include items whose settings can be changed by the training posture or training motion of the user. For example, for some setting items, with or without equipment or with or without operation can be used as a parameter.

A processing system that can output recommended settings for the above setting items will be described.is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a processing system. The processing systemincludes an input unit, a user data acquisition unit, a muscle site data acquisition unit, a recommended setting calculation unit, a simulator, an output unit, and a determination unit.

The processing systemmay be, for example, a personal computer including a processor and a memory. The processing systemtherefore stores a processing program in advance. The processing systemcan perform a process, which will be described later, by the processor executing the program.